Kothagudem: The apathy and lack of concern for patients that government hospitals show is evident in the manner in which vital pieces of medical equipment are neglected and not repaired.
Lack of nebulisers and ventilators in government hospitals is making patients suffer unnecessarily and endangering emergency treatment. A nebuliser is a machine through which medicines are inhaled by patients who have trouble breathing. A ventilator is designed to move breathable air into and out of the lungs. The two devices are very important to every hospital.
The Kothagudem district headquarters hospital sees around 150 in-patients and 700 out-patients every day. There are only two ventilators in the hospital one of which is under repair.
In Paloncha hospital, there are three ventilators, but only one is working and only one nebulizer is in working condition.
Many other vital pieces of equipment, such as the C-Arm machine required during surgeries, are not working. This machine cost Rs 30 lakh. No one in the hospital administration has notified the company that makes the machine that it requires repairs.
Equipment that separates plasma from blood to administer to dengue patients is also not working at the Kothagudem hospital. Patients are told to get their tests done in private diagnostic centres because government hospitals do not have the required equipment in working order. Unnecessary costs are thus incurred by patients. It is one thing if government hospitals do not have the budget to buy required equipment but it is a crime when having spent money and bought the equipment it is not used properly or not repaired immediately when it breaks down.
